PVC's Lessened With Pacemaker

[bobad]

I had severe PVC's that thumped very hard, made me stop  and catch my breath, and made my life miserable for the past 4 years or more.

Then 7-8 months ago, I had a PM inplant due to bradycardia. The PM became inflamed, and had to be removed, and  a new one implanted on the opposite side. It too became inflamed, and removed, so I now have no PM.

The good news is, after the first implant, my PVC's lessened in frequency and severity. Instead of having say 1000+ per day, I have maybe 50. Instead of thumping hard and making me catch my breath, they can barely be felt.

I'm very grateful for this, but it makes me wonder what might have happened during surgery. Ever since surgery, I haven't felt so great. I have leg weakness and dizziness, and run out of breath at the slightest exertion. Rule out medication, as I am only taking metoprolol 25mg per day, and I have got off it for 2 weeks to see if my symptoms improved and my PVC's worsened. Getting off the metoprolol did not change anything.

Does that sound familiar, or do you have any idea what would cause my symptoms?  A recent sonogram showed good heart function with an EF of 65.

Many thanks for your help and comments,,,

Bob A.

[bobad]

Jerry,

My doctor doesn't even want to discuss the reduction in PVC's and lessened severity of PVC's.

I had never experienced dizziness, shortness of breath, or weakness prior to my PM surgery.

For your information, the pacemakers were not temporary. They were permanent, but had to be removed because they became inflamed. The dizziness, leg weakness and shortness of breath were the same during the 4 months with the PM's, and now without the PM's.

Over the past 4 months since the surgery, the above symptoms seem to be slowly lessening. I'm just wondering what happened in surgery to make that happen. I wonder whether it was a damaged heart, damaged vein or artery, an infection, a reaction to heavy duty antibiotics, or what? Whatever it is, it has ruined my life for the past 8 months.

I would love to hear from anyone else who has come out of PM surgery with improved PVC's or "collateral damage".

Thanks,,,

[Jerry_NJ]

Interesting (strange?) and I as you didn't mention your doctor's reaction it must be out-of-bounds to him too.  You say a temporary PM resulted in a permanent improvement in PVC symptoms.  There seems to be no explanation, at least for my limited knowledge on the subject.

You say leg weakness, is that a weakness or the feeling one gets when they are working out hard, i.e., pain of exercise - the feeling of the muscles not getting enough oxygen?  I have the latter problem my self, and mine is due to AFib I think.  Your occasional PVC experience doesn't seem to me to be the problem.  

You say, or imply, that the weakness began following the PM trials, you didn't have the weakness problem before that time.  True?